Quote of the Week - EPA Administrator Said U.S. President Barack Obama Shared the Pope's Belief that Climate Change Was a Moral Issue

The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Friday she hoped Pope Francis' upcoming message to his flock on the environment would help galvanize concern about climate change and convince sceptics that "the science is real".

EPA administrator Gina McCarthy, visiting the Vatican to discuss climate change, said U.S. President Barack Obama shared the pope's belief that it was a moral issue because its effects would be felt most by the poorest and weakest nations.

"The pope knows his own beliefs and I want him to know that the president is aligned with him on these issues," she told reporters."He (Pope Francis) is really a pastoral influence and ... there are issues that we can and should face together."

Read more at U.S. EPA chief hopes pope will spur concern on climate change by Philip Pullella, Reuters, Jan 30, 2015